A Tangle of Thorns
by gublercullen
Summary: Wren Valentine has worked with S.H.I.E.L.D. all of her life but a lifetime of service couldn't prepare her for the arrival of the God of Mischief. When she is instructed to read his thoughts in search for information he's withholding, she never expected he would take a liking to her. Wren begins to wonder if she's been looking for acceptance in all the wrong places. LOKI/OC
1. Chapter 1

One

I balanced the two trays of coffee as if my life depended on it. There was only one thing worse than an early morning meeting with director Fury and the avengers and that was an early morning meeting with Fury and the avengers with no caffeine.

I nudged the button for the elevator with my elbow and tapped my foot anxiously in time with the flash of the level buttons. They say that powerful people always reside on the top floor of the building but in this case everyone powerful, dangerous and truly terrifying was settled around a large steel table five floors beneath ground level. I walked into the meeting room feeling both under dress and under prepared. My worn in converse squeaked against the freshly polished floor and I couldn't help but wonder where S.H.I.E.L.D. found their cleaners, was there an agency of top secret janitors nobody knew anything about? Each and every set of tired eyes lifted to meet my own as I reached the table, a motion that didn't exactly help the feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach go away.

"Miss Valentine, how nice of you to finally grace us all with your presence," Fury bellowed sarcastically as I flicked through the notes in front of him.

"Sorry sir, I learnt at the last meaning not to bore you with explanations so instead, here's your coffee," My voice was audibly trembling along with my hands as I placed a Styrofoam cup in front of the director. He lifted his eyebrow in question but accepted the steaming brew without question.

"Very nicely done," Tony winked as I handed him one of the cups.

"I do try," I smiled in return and quickly fell quiet as Fury cleared his throat. All eyes were on him as he spoke.  
"I've been informed that our resident demi-god has some…alternative plans for our newest captive," He said and my eyes lifted suddenly. I took note of the fact that Thor was nowhere to be seen, something that made me start to feel ever more on edge.

"You've gotta admit, shipping the guy back to where he came from doesn't seem like too bad a plan," Banner added, his voice low and calm as he fiddled with the lid on his coffee cup.

"Of course, it's a fabulous idea," Fury began, causing every member in the room to look up with suspicion.

"Asgard is more equipped to hold the god of mischief captive," Fury continued "Admittedly it would be easier to send him home and forget the Chitauri attack never even happened."

"Why am I getting the impression that you've not ade the point you want to make yet?" Tony questioned.

"For once, you're right," Fury replied.

"Ouch," Tony uttered with an animated expression.

"If we send Loki back we lose the ability to keep an eye on him, that make…uncomfortable."

"So what? We're just going to keep him here under surveillance, one of us with him at all times? You're underestimating him, Fury, he'll find a weak spot with someone, whether it's half an hour or a year from now. He'll worm his way out of that cell," Natasha argued, clearly agitated by the situation. I sipped the last few mouthfuls of my now cold coffee before raising my hand. Everyone turned to look at me and I felt the sudden urge to leave – I didn't belong at this table.

"Sorry, I don't understand my role at this table?" Fury shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. Just then the doors slammed open and Thor entered, he stood broadly at the head of the table.

"The reasoning behind your presence lady Valentine is the same behind those that had me cast from this hall," He announced, a combination of anger and concern flooded his voice.  
"Well isn't this a regular Friday night dinner," Tony stage whispered to Steve who merely shook his head.

"It's a little tense in here that all I'm saying," Tony mocked.

"What's he getting at?" I asked finally, awaiting Fury's answer.

"I want you to oversee Loki's captivity."

My mouth dropped open as my eyes widened, "You're aware I'm not a field agent, right?"

"I'm aware," Fury replied nonchalantly.

"This is insane," Barton scoffed "You can't expect her to go in there with him alone?"

"I would just like to take this moment to remind you that I catalogue the books, the weapons, the random objects not of this earth that you find lying around post battle," I paused "Unless you've forgotten, the god of mischief isn't exactly an artefact, he's quite capable of killing me." I hadn't realised just how loud I had been talking until I had finished, my cheeks flushed pink and hot with embarrassment.

"You're also a psionic, one of the only ones we know about that would be willing to work with us," Fury stated matter-of-factly. I stared towards his, my feelings genuinely hurt.

"That's what this is about?" I kept my eyes locked on Fury but he refused to meet my glare.

"This is what you've been waiting for? All these years keeping me safe, putting me to work, making sure I was cared for, had a roof over my head…it as all part of your plan, wasn't it?"

"This isn't personal, you're purely convenient and I am endlessly curious," Fury's words hit me like a tonne of bricks right to the chest, every other person in the room fell deathly quiet.  
"If you think I can get you any information from him you're sadly mistaken. He's a god, Fury. I'm on par with a fair ground psychic. You'll get me killed."

I stood from my chair and turned from the table, the moment I was out the room every voice was raised and all hell broke loose. But I refused to turn back, this was a step too far – even for S.H.I.E.L.D.


	2. Chapter 2

Two

I splashed the cold water on my face, revelling in the calm awakening it sent through me. I turned off the tap and glanced up to find myself staring straight back at me. My long red hair was damp at the roots and pushed back from my pale face. My hazel eyes were withdrawn and surrounded by newly acquired dark circles.

I wasn't ready for this much responsibility, so for Fury to spring his plan on me with no warning…it was a shock to say the least. There was a light knock on the door and Natasha entered cautiously and came to lean against the counter, her arms crossed in front of her.

"You okay?" She asked, genuine concern in her expression.

"I'm fine," I replied.

She let out a quiet laugh, "No you're not, you're angry and I don't blame you."

"What am I supposed to say, Nat? I consciously try not to use my ability day in, day out. Fury just expects me to go and climb inside Loki's head and dig around? He's crazy if he thinks that will work. I'm not an agent, never mind anything else." Natasha took a deep breath in and exhaled lowly.  
"You're not giving yourself enough credit, Wren."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped, "You think I should do it?"

"Do you think S.H.I.E.L.D. kept you around all these years because they needed a librarian? They knew that if you found yourself in the wrong hands after your parents died that you would be a threat, a big one. There will be someone with you the whole time, you won't be alone with him, you can do this."

I paused, my hands fiddled at my sides and I let my head hang back as I tried to think clearly.

"You all seem to be forgetting he's a god, he almost destroyed the city. What makes you think I'll even make it into the room without him manipulating me somehow? Or manipulating my abilities for that matter?"

"It's in your blood, Wren," Natasha paused "You can do this," She repeated.

I couldn't argue with that, I was a born psionic – but that didn't mean I was a match for a god, especially not the god of mischief.

Tony remained by my side, Fury was stood behind me, arms folded and stone faced.

"I'll stay in the room, I'll be just a few feet behind you, Mr Director over here won't be sticking around but I'm sure you have his full support," Tony smiled sarcastically and I glanced back at Fury.

"If I end up dead because of this stupid idea, my blood is on your hands. I want you to keep that in mind," I was trying my best to stay calm but the ringing in my ears and the tremor in my hands were enough to knock me over the edge into hysteria.

"Duly noted," Was Fury's only response, he seemed almost bored by the entire situation. The elevator doors opened into a dark room, lit spontaneously with fluorescent lights. In the centre of the room, a glass cell was suspended on a short podium. My heart jumped up into my throat when the man inside turned and grinned.

"How interesting, you brought your god a gift," His low voice echoed off of the glass of his cell and I choked back the urge to throw up.

"Get me anything you can, take note of everything that bastard says," Fury said as Tony and I stepped out of the elevator. In a matter of just a few seconds, Fury was gone and I was standing, my eyes locked with Loki's.

"I'll be here…babysitting," Tony motioned towards a chair and sat himself down, "Play nice," He added and I scoffed towards him.

"How is this such a big joke to everyone? I'm over here panicking about who's going to feed my cat when I'm dead and you're making jokes?" I argued.

"I'm allergic to cats but I can pay someone to feed the thing."

"Wow, thanks," I replied, turning to walk closer to the glass cell. Loki's eyes never left me, his devilish grin never faltered – not for a second.

"They must be desperate," Loki began, pacing the cell like a caged lion as he spoke.  
"To bring to me the most amateur of oracles, I wonder what they hope to accomplish." I closed my eyes and against my better judgement, I fought against the glass boundary and found myself pushing my way into his mind. The pain wormed its way into my ears and rattled my thoughts.

 _"Explore, child. Try and find what your director desires. Perhaps then you will finally get what you desire so deeply.,"_ His voice was no longer echoing from the sides of the cell, but instead bounced off the inside of my skull, each word sending a new wave of pain to the forefront of my mind.

 _"And what is that?"_ I asked, hoping my words would reach him in the correct order.

 _"A family, a father, love. Another glorified mortal searching for acceptance, it's hideous…how predictable you all are."_ Loki's voice was crueller than I had imagined – his words were strong and unforgiving, there was no manipulation here, only a determination to inflict pain.

 _"You're wrong, I don't yearn for Fury's acceptance, or his love for that matter,"_ It was difficult to keep my interior voice convincing, I could feel Loki rooting around in my deepest memories, taking advantage of every opportunity he had to find something to use against me.

 _"If you aren't searching for acceptance…then why are you here, little bird?"_ His voice was gentler this time, smooth and velvety – a welcome relief from the budding migraine.

"They don't want to let you go back to Asgard," I stated out loud, which seemed to catch him off guard. He lowered himself down so that he was almost on eye level with me.

"There's that quivering voice, that maiden's blush…" He tilted his head ever so slightly to one side as he spoke, examining each and every little thing I did. I tried my best to remain calm and collected, but I could still smell, taste and almost touch him inside my mind.

"What do you have against us? Mortals, that is?" I asked, surprised by the nature of the question.

"Do not be mistaken, I have nothing against mortals…" Loki replied "In fact, you are vapour to me, nothing but a passing breeze, a whisper to be forgotten. Mortals are nothing but pawns."

"Then why go to such lengths to destroy us?" I asked, my curiosity was genuine but then again, so was my fear. My sweating palms and hummingbird-esque heartbeat were proof of that.

"Is this what you wish to discuss? My thoughts on the human race?" Loki smirked, a cruel light shining in his almond shaped eyes.

"Not necessarily, what would you like to talk about?" I asked quietly, trying to forget that there was possibly ten to twenty people listening in on my conversation at this very moment and so far, I didn't have a clue what I was doing.

"Let's talk about you, little bird. I tire of silence, amuse me with your tales of mortal troubles." He turned to rest his back against the glass so that all I could see was a cascade of shoulder length, raven hair and broad shoulders.

Sorry it's taken so long to update! I've got lots more written so will be updating regularly from now on. I love reviews!


	3. Chapter 3

**So here's the next chapter, thanks to everyone who has favourited/followed this story or myself, I would love to hear from you guys so if you feel like dropping me a review, that would be great!**

Three

I couldn't be entirely sure what had happened, but when I exited the elevator and came face to face with Fury he funnily enough looked absolutely furious.

"I told you to get information, not have a goddamn slumber party," He yelled and I struggled against the urge to burst into tears.

"What? I didn't have a script or a set of questions or anything, am I supposed to go in there with a blank page and just make shit up? I didn't know what the hell I was doing, I keep telling you, I'm not a freaking agent! This isn't my job! I'm not trained in coercing information from evil demi-gods!" I took a moment to catch my breath as the embarrassment spread across my neck and collarbone, no doubt flushing it a damp fuchsia.

Fury groaned and threw his hands into the air, "Dig around in his brain, Valentine. Find something, anything. He has to have another plan and I need to know what it is. He's come too far to surrender to capture now, he has something in that mind of his and I have to get that information, do you not understand that?"  
"He's not exactly an open book, Fury. If I'm going to get in there, I need to break down a few of the barriers he has built up. He isn't stupid, he isn't just going to let me stroll around his thoughts without stopping me. If you want me to do this, it's going to take time." There was a long pause that weighed heavily on my shoulders, constricting my ability to breathe and think rationally.

"So you'll do it? You'll keep working on this?" Had it all been a trick? A trick to get me to volunteer for this role somewhat permanently? I cursed Fury internally and shook my head.

"For now, I'm saying yes but I have the full freedom to change my mind when I please," I said, my voice as strong as I could muster given my aching muscles and pulsing temples.

That night I spent hours tossing and turning, unable to get Loki's voice out of my head. I could still sense him there, rooting around in my memories, searching desperately for something he could use against me. I was still unsure what Fury was expecting me to find. After all, Loki was a master deceiver, blood psionic or not – finding anything worth knowing in his maze of thoughts was not going to be easy.

I tore the covers from on top of me and swung my legs over the side of the bed. My alarm clock flashed 4.50am, a sight that didn't exactly have me feeling thrilled. My ginger tabby was spread haphazardly across the end of the bed, his tail wagging lazily every now and again. For the first time in about 48 hours I lifted my lips in a small, half-hearted smile. I was exhausted – the burning hot shower I had indulged in as soon as I had gotten in from work hadn't had the desired effect of washing away the reminder of being inside Loki's head. Despite his calm demeanour, his mind had been surprisingly chaotic, of course that could have been his plan all along to keep me away from anything of importance. A shrill ring awoke me from my daydream and sent me jogging towards the phone, I picked up on auto pilot, not stopping to wonder why I was receiving phone calls in the middle of the night.

"Hello," I spoke into the received.

"Sorry to call you so early," I recognised the voice immediately as Natasha and frowned.

"What's happened?" I asked.

Natasha sighed, sounding almost irritated, "He's asking for you."

It took me a long moment to make sense of what she was saying but eventually my eyebrows raised and my lips parted in surprise, "What do you mean he's asking for me? Loki?"

"Yes and he's very, very persistent."

"I didn't think we were in the business of doing what the bad guys tell us to," I laughed, my tone sounding a little bitter.

"You're right, but Fury thinks this could be him singling you out. It could be a good time to try and worm your way in there, find out if he has a plan outside of his box."

"And by singling me out you mean…" I paused, processing Natasha's words, "He knows I'm the weakest link."

The silence on the other end of the phone was almost deafening, "It's ok, Nat. I get it, he's just reiterating what I've been saying all along."

"If you could get down here, that would be great. He's pissing me off already and I don't want to be held accountable for killing him."

"Duly noted, I'll be there in a half hour," I hung up and moved towards my closet. I grabbed a silk purple shirt and slid it on before throwing on a pair of dark jeans and a pair of worn in tennis shoes.

Pulling up to the S.H.I.E.L.D. offices lit an anxious fire in my stomach and I forced a few long, slow breaths in and out of my lungs as I made my way down in the elevator. Natasha was standing in the viewing chamber with Steve, her arms crossed over her abdomen and an angry expression painted across her face.

"I'm here," I said as I closed the door behind myself. Natasha didn't turn to greet me and Steve moved closer to me and lowered his voice before he spoke.  
"She's a little…mad," He said with caution.  
"When is she not mad?" I asked with a laugh, quickly realising this wasn't the best time to make jokes.

I cleared my throat, "Why?" It was a simple question but it seemed to erupt a fire in Natasha so fierce she slammed her hand into the wall.

"This was a terrible idea, he's got a plan and I have a bad feeling you are going to play a huge part in it," Natasha replied.

"Jeez what happened whilst I was trying to get some sleep?"

"Don't worry about it," Steve replied.

"Don't worry about it? How can you say that?" Natasha added "Wren, he's done nothing but ask about you since you left, whatever you said to him yesterday…he's interested. I'm angry because Fury put you up to this unprepared and now Loki knows too much. It's just a dangerous situation for you to be in."

"That's why you're mad? You were all team Wren yesterday, full of faith that I'm capable of getting something out of him, yada yada. What's this really about?" I asked, feeling a little weirded out by Natasha's sudden outburst.

"It's not that I don't think you can do it, it's just that I'm worried he can do it faster."

Her statement made all the sense in the world, but that didn't help me to feel any less useless. Without more thought, I made my way out of the viewing chamber and down the walkway towards Loki's cell. He stood as I got closer to him, his stance as elegant and poised as possible given his situation.  
"I hear you've been asking for me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady and casual as I pulled up a chair.  
"Something like that," He smirked, winking towards the viewing chamber. Mischief was painted across his face, as cunning and devilish as he was, he couldn't hide the fact he was enjoying himself.

"I'm curious…where did Fury find you? I tried asking your friends over there but they seemed somewhat reluctant to divulge any information," The corner of his lips lifted to a practiced smirk.

"That's why I'm here so early in the morning? Because you want my origin story?" I asked with a laugh, in my sleep deprived state I had forgotten for a moment with whom I was talking. Loki's jaw tensed, the muscles moved elegantly beneath the pale skin of his face.

"I feel it isn't the time that bothers you so, little bird, but the question in itself. Am I correct?" His eyes buried into mine and before I had a chance to react his was deep inside my head. I could feel him rooting below the surface, every thought I had had in the last hour, the last 24 hours, the last week, the last year…they were all free to him. The frustration and exhaustion combined and pushed Loki from inside my head in one quick, heavy thud. He visibly stumbled back – his calm exterior almost faltered for a second but he quickly composed himself.

"Well, well, well," He grinned "It lives, this only true psionic these mortals whisper about."

"Sorry," I stated before thinking "I mean…I'm not sorry, because you shouldn't be fumbling around in my brain but…I understand it must be a pretty big blow to your ego for a girl like me to practically push you over and I want this conversation to go as smoothly as possible so. Sorry," I pressed my open palms over my sweat moistened face and shook my head.

"Excuse me?" Loki raised his brows in offense.

"I'm guessing it's not normal for someone like me to beat you at your own game, that's all," I replied nonchalantly.

"And what exactly is my game, little bird?" Loki let a long sigh escape from between his lips as he kneeled down, resting on his heels and examined every aspect of my face and posture.

"You make people doubt themselves to benefit you. You manipulate, you destroy. But essentially, you take a good person and use every bad thing that has ever happened to them, against them. You taint them with the evil that already exist within them. You show people their true colours and force them to succumb to the darkest part of themselves. That's your game. The truth is I don't know if you lie and manipulate…or if you just show people the truths they thought they had forgotten," The words rolled from my tongue as if they weren't even my own. The words were almost formed inside Loki's mind and spoken from my own mouth.

"Are you manipulating me now or am I reading your mind?" I asked, my eyes staring deep and unblinking into his. He was expressionless, cold and almost defeated in appearance. It was the first time I had noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes.

"Do you even know anymore?" I whispered, my face so close to his glass cage that my hot breath created a curtain between us. My fingertips brushed the cool glass for a split second before I backed away, unsteady and shaken. Reality flooded back to me, bringing me back down to earth with an earth shattering scream.


	4. Chapter 4

Enjoy! Please review if you can :)

Four

Steve had been forced to remove me from the God of Mischief's chambers. I had been close to collapsing on the cool metal floor upon abandoning Loki's mind. Natasha pressed the top of a bottle to my lips and I gulped down the cold water in a hurry.

"He's good," I said, out of breath "I still don't know if I was in his head or if he was in mine, for a second we were one person, I felt what he felt, what he was thinking, I felt who he was, before he was cruel and after…I can't go back in there, I can't. I'm not strong enough, not yet."

"You're strong enough," Fury entered and Natasha and Steve stepped aside, he knelt down in front of me.  
"I know you want to think I am, Nick. But it's just not the case. If I go back in there with him, I don't know what he might do, how he might use this. I have shown him true weakness."

"No, from the look on his face you've shown him strength. I think you were in his head, Wren. Without barriers, without lies…you're starting to separate the manipulation from the true Loki," Fury said without hesitation.  
"How do you know for sure?" I questioned, my voice still quiet and shaky. There was a long pause as everyone waited for Fury's reply. He walked steadily across to the monitor that was focused on Loki's glass cage, he rewound the footage a few moments before pausing on the exact moment I had finished talking. Fury's tapped the tip of his finger on the monitor with confidence.

"Because not even the god of deception can hide panic."

I cleared my throat, "I would like to remind you, god of deception, that's what you just said…he's faking, I'm no threat to him."

"I know my brother," A bellowing voice came from behind us, causing me to jump from my seat. We all turned to see Thor studying his sibling from behind the glass, "He worries. I can see it in his fingertips, in the stillness of his expression…my brother may be able to hide his worries from those who don't know him but as family, I am witness to the weight that lays heavily on his shoulders."

I walked down the steps and towards Loki's cage once again, the few moments I had used to catch my breath and recover felt like they were a million miles away. I wanted so badly to turn around and run from the building, far away from Loki, from Fury, from the pressure that had been suddenly put upon me – but I had been inside Loki's mind and I knew that no matter how far away I was from him, the feeling of him inside my mind would remain locked inside my memory.

"You look tired, little bird, it's a shame I'm just getting started," Loki grinned but something was telling me it was strained, I frowned, jumping straight back into his mind was difficult – he had put up more defences. He hadn't been fighting against me before.

"I am tired," I replied, extracting myself from his mind.

He seemed almost intrigued by my honesty and tilted his head to the side like a curious animal.

"Then why even try to fight me," He whispered against the glass.  
"Because it would appear I could be the only one that can," I replied, the confidence in the statement was greatly contrasted with the uncertainty in my tone. This amused Loki, his eyebrows lifted and he nodded, sending a tingle of fear across my sweat moistened skin.

"You have to let it out, don't you?" Loki asked, breaking me from my short lived day dream. The confused looked written across my face prompted him to keep talking.

"You power…the people here, your leader…they think you have it all under control. Do they know the true extent of your abilities? I'm sensing some rage, a fight deep inside you, little bird. Let some of it out, some of the anger, some of the hurt, all those memories and thoughts you found in the minds of others. Do you have room for some of your own, I wonder?" I found myself lost in the eyes of the god, his words were an unwelcome whisper of the truth that made the pain in my head worsen significantly. He was in there with me – inside the memories I had fought so hard to hide away.

Before I could stop him, I was stuck in a rerun of memories so painful I wanted nothing more than to smash my head against the concrete floor in an attempt to make them stop.

 _The snow lingered in the air, barely heavy enough to force itself to the icy ground. I held my hands out, trying to catch the flakes but they melted against my skin before I got a chance to enjoy their coolness._

 _"Wren, come on it is freezing out here, you'll catch your death," My father called from the doorway of our red brick, family home._

 _"Two more minutes?" I called back, but my father shook his head. I solemnly walked inside the house, drunk on the winter weather and the scent of cinnamon candles. I slammed the door shut with a flick of my adolescent wrist, it felt as natural as if I had felt the wood beneath the palm of my hand. Except the door clicked open, causing me to turn around just in time for the masked man to cover my mouth with his hand and press a blade to my slender neck._

 _"Mother," My internal voice called, "Father?" I added, but there was no answer.  
"Keep quiet and there's no reason we can't be friends," The masked man holding me said, but the words had hardly reached me before I forced his hand to remove the blade from my skin. He seemed confused at first, but soon realised I had disarmed him and escaped his grasp with no struggle. _

_"Clever little thing, aren't you? No wonder the price was so high," He smiled, just as another four men stormed through the front door and another two cracked through the windows. I closed my eyes and tried not to panic. I felt the terror rise up in my stomach and carry through my limbs, stretching towards objects and the open flame of the fire. It was carnage. The screams of the intruders pierced my ears, lasting what felt like a lifetime before the room was silent once again._

 _"Open your eyes," My father said, his hands either side of my face_

"Open your eyes," The voice was no longer my fathers, it was Steve's. His hand was wrapped around the top of my arm, shaking me lightly. Before I could stop myself, I forced him backwards. His large frame came heavily into contact with the steel bannister of the stair case and I instantly froze. I had to stop. I had to calm down.

"Do you feel it, little bird?" Loki bellowed, "How frightening that power is, yet how invigorating? The pulsing beneath your skin? The urge to expel it so desperately? Do you feel like you might die if it remains inside? It burns, doesn't it? The desire to let go," My eyes locked with Loki's and for the first time, he looked like a true god. Despite the glass cage, he towered over me, strong and statuesque. I felt him digging in my mind again and found I could no longer hold it. I screamed, my limbs stretched to their limits and my muscles ached with the tension.

The alarms stirred me first of all, then the deafening crack, then the strong arms beneath me and the palm clasped over my mouth.


End file.
